poorly
/ˈpɔːli
/ /ˈpʊəli /adverb
1In a way that is unsatisfactory or inadequate: schools that were performing poorly [as submodifier]: a poorly attended church...
- Government intervention has been in the form of a law that is inadequate and poorly implemented.
- It was that beauty the great poets dream about but describe most poorly and inadequately.
- Many Irish companies communicate poorly and give inadequate feedback to employees.
Synonyms
badly, deficiently, defectively, faultily, imperfectly, unsuccessfully, incompetently, inexpertly, abjectly, appallingly, abysmally, atrociously, awfully, terribly, dismally, dreadfully;
crudely, shoddily, inadequately, unsatisfactorily, unacceptably, execrably, frightfully
informal crummily, diabolically
2With insufficient money: he lived as poorly as his peasant parishioners...
- Yes, these jobs provide work and money but they are poorly paid and usually short term.
- A few have nets, but most are forced to try to make some money as poorly paid day labourers.
- She is angry not that he lives poorly, but that he has given up after she has given him everything.
adjective chiefly British
Unwell: she looked poorly...
- I didn't manage too many lengths today but I haven't been for 2 weeks since being poorly sick.
- Zoe Bird, 26, was forced to walk for an hour to reach her home with poorly toddler son Ryan after they were forced to leave the car.
- Jakey on the other hand is poorly due to having an injection.
Synonyms
ill, unwell, indisposed, ailing, not (very) well, not oneself, not in good shape, out of sorts, not up to par, under/below par, peaky, liverish;
sick, queasy, nauseous;
British off, off colour
informal under the weather, not up to snuff, funny, peculiar, crummy, lousy, rough
British informal ropy, grotty
Scottish informal wabbit
Australian/New Zealand informal crook
vulgar slang crappy
dated queer, seedy
Rhymes
- double
- double acrostic
- double act
- double-acting
- double-action
- double agent
- double axe
- double back
- double-bank
- double bar
- double-barrelled
- double bass
- double bassoon
- double bill
- double bind
- double-bitted axe
- double-blind
- double bluff
- double bogey
- double boiler
- double bond
- double-book
- double-breasted
- double bridle
- double-check